Open Spaces
by RubyFiamma
Summary: [Series] [KagaAo] In which Kagami learns how to be a better boyfriend.
1. Part I : Advice

Pairing : Kagami Taiga/Aomine Daiki

Notes : For saltdrops on tumblr, who prompted "Kagami hugging Aomine just because he /needs/ it and Momoi tells him why"

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**Part I : Advice  
**

* * *

Kagami isn't fond of days like these, no practise or games to keep him busy and the lack of a distraction leaves his mind to wander to thoughts that end up leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

Aomine has been avoiding him lately, he's been distant and more acerbic than usual and Kagami can't bring himself to ask Aomine what the problem is. He's considered all things, most of them bad and generally lingering on the possibility that Aomine doesn't want to be in this relationship anymore.

With Kuroko gone on a trip with his grandmother, it doesn't leave many other people he can ask. He's weighed his options on several occasions and the only two people he can think of that would know Aomine well enough are Kise and Momoi except coming to the conclusion that asking Kise would be more troublesome than what it's worth has lead him to where he is right now.

Shifting uncomfortably in the cracked leather booth of Maji Burger, Kagami can't even bring himself to eat more than a few stray fries strewn out of their carton on the plastic tray. Momoi's gaze is soft and understanding but the other patrons in the restaurant are giving him questionable looks, as it isn't often that Kagami is joined by a girl during his meals and it's just the two of them at that.

"You don't get it, do you, Kagamin?" she asks, reaching over to snatch the fry half way to his mouth. "Have you ever noticed how little you actually _touch _Dai-chan?"

Kagami snorts in disbelief and swallows his protest in a gulp of his soda. He can feel heat sneaking across his cheeks because _of course_ he touches Aomine. It's not like they don't kiss, or grope each other during one-on-one games, or jack each other off, or have sex. There's a lot of touching, and if Kagami is being honest with himself, there's been more intimate contact between him and Aomine than any other partner he's had in the past.

"Because you don't," Momoi continues, undeterred by Kagami's aversion to the question. "He's always got an arm around you, holding you close - it really is romantic when you think about it."

Kagami nearly chokes on his soda with this. "There's nothing _romantic_ about that," he growls. "It's not like we go walking around holding hands or skipping down the street with our arms looped around each other's waists singing love song duets on karaoke night -"

Momoi raises an eyebrow and Kagami is forced to swallow the rest of his argument in a huff.

"That's exactly my point, Kagamin. You _don't_ do those sorts of things. You guys have been together for a while, no? It barely seems like you two are anything more than just friends to the public."

"Of course it's like that!" Kagami blurts, slamming his hand down on the yellowed Formica table. There's a mild hush that falls over the restaurant following his outburst and now Kagami can really feel his face burning. Momoi doesn't look startled, something that must come from years of exposure and dealing with Aomine and Wakamatsu's tantrums alike.

"Of course it's like that," Kagami repeats, quieter this time and the other people in the restaurant go back to their own conversations rather than paying attention to his. "It's not exactly acceptable to be like... us."

Momoi nods slowly in assent. "I get that. But do you really think Dai-chan cares about that kind of thing?"

"Of course he does," Kagami scoffs. "He'd probably punch me if I tried anything like that in public."

"Has he?"

"Has he what?"

"Has he punched you?" Momoi asks, flipping her hair behind her shoulder. It catches the cheap jaundiced light for a second and the shimmering strands remind Kagami of pink candy floss spun on cones bought from the vendors at travelling carnivals.

"What? No, he hasn't punched me - but like I just said, we don't do that kind of stuff," Kagami grumbles, shoving a handful of fries into his mouth to avoid the answer to the next question.

"So how do you know he would?" Momoi rests her elbows on the table and folds her hands under her chin. She's looking at Kagami expectantly and Kagami takes his time chewing, actually counting the number of times his teeth clench and grind over the food in his mouth. Finally, after at least a minute, he has to swallow. So he offers up the best response he can muster. A shrug.

"Kagamin," Momoi sighs, rolling her eyes. "Dai-chan really likes affection, you know? He's _always_ keeping you close, even if you don't think that's what it is. Dai-chan can be... pretty insecure at times. He just needs a little reassurance that everything is okay between you two."

Kagami's hand stalls at his mouth with a second handful of fries. He can't believe what he's hearing. Aomine - insecure? _The same Aomine whose favourite thing to yap about is 'the only one who can beat me is me.'_ _bullshit? _He can't help but bark a sardonic laugh.

"Yeah, right. Aomine, insecure? Are we talking about the same guy here? Did he tell you that?"

Momoi smiles knowingly and shakes her head. "He doesn't have to tell me, Kagamin. I just _know_."

Kagami studies her for a minute, her mouth sliding back into smallest of smiles and it isn't condescending at all. He _wants_ to trust Momoi, but something keeps telling him not to and when he searches for an explanation, all he can come up with is pride. Because Momoi knowing his boyfriend better than he does is a bit infuriating and because her knowing what's wrong with Aomine before he can figure it out is embarrassing and truth be told, he's a little bit envious of it.

"Do you think that's really the problem with him lately?" Kagami asks with a defeated sigh, chucking the cold fries back into the container.

Momoi shrugs. "Maybe. Just give him a little more attention, Kagamin. He's like a cat. He pretends he doesn't want to be pet and lavished with attention, that he's too good for it, but Dai-chan _needs_ it. Just give him a hug from time to time, you'll see. He'll come to you a lot more often for it, so you better be prepared." She chuckles at this while Kagami chews on his bottom lip.

"So just hug him," he repeats in disbelief and it's more of a statement than a question. The simplicity of it has Kagami sitting on the fence between aggravation and guilt, because why didn't the idiot just tell him instead of avoiding him and why didn't he figure this out sooner?

"Yeah!" Momoi answers cheerily and grabs for her purse. "Just give him a hug. Tell him you love him -"

"I don't love-" he tries to protest but as Momoi slides out of the booth she shoves a telling hand in his face.

"We all know Dai-chan loves you, Kagamin. It's no secret to us, so you shouldn't act like it is. Maybe Dai-chan would feel much more at ease knowing you felt the same way." With that she pets Kagami on the head and leaves him alone with a tray full of cold and half eaten food and a heavy feeling in his chest.

"Yeah," he considers out loud as he stares at the open space in the booth across from him left by Momoi. The space he wishes a certain selfish moron was filling instead. "Maybe."


	2. Part II : Touch

**Part II : Touch**

* * *

Aomine drags his feet along the concrete as he enters the gate to Kagami's apartment building. He's been dreading having to see the bastard all day because some awful foreboding churns in his stomach and he just _knows_ today is the day.

He doesn't have to buzz to get in, some man in a business suit carrying a briefcase comes bustling out in a hurry and nearly knocks Aomine over. He's such on edge he doesn't think when he snaps, "Watch it, asshole!"

The man doesn't look back or offer a retort so Aomine trudges inside while muttering expletives under his breath. He catches the elevator as it's doors are about to close and rides it in silence to Kagami's floor, save for the echoing tap of his foot against the tile.

He almost doesn't get out when the chime sounds and the doors open. He stalls at the pass and finally works up enough to slip out as the doors begin to close again. Whatever Kagami wants to say to him is inevitable, it's going to happen sooner or later. The least he can do is prepare a backup plan, some clever and nasty rebuke and a quick and easy exit route.

While all this runs around in his head, he arrives at Kagami's door too quickly and hesitantly lifts a hand to knock sharply. He can hear muffled music, some kind of American classic rock booming from the other side and when a few seconds pass with no response, Aomine knocks on the door again. He waits at least a minute this time and realises the music is probably too loud for Kagami to hear him.

"Dumb idiot," Aomine mutters as he tries the door knob. It turns with ease and his heart stalls out on a beat before he pushes the door open.

The music floods the hallway loudly and Aomine wonders how Kagami's neighbours put up with this shitty foreign music that thrums through the walls on a regular basis. When he steps inside the genkan, Aomine can smell ginger and garlic followed by something sweet and tangy. The door to the apartment is open and he can see Kagami with his back turned and bent over the stove but still obscured by the mahogany cupboards. It makes his stomach drop in disappointment rather than hopeful anticipation. He couldn't possibly be hungry at a time like this, not even for Kagami's cooking.

He lets the heavy door slam to announce his arrival. There he slips off his shoes to slide on slippers and crudely calls out, "Sorry for disturbing!" He doesn't move from the genkan, instead stares a burning hole through Kagami's back until he turns around with a startled expression.

"I didn't hear you come in!" he calls from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a rag before crossing into the living room. There he picks up a remote off his coffee table and shuts off the stereo.

"I wonder why," Aomine chides once it's silent enough for Kagami to hear the sarcasm dripping off his tone.

Kagami frowns and Aomine feels subtly pleased as he walks into the apartment with his hands shoved into his jeans pockets. Kagami takes a step forward and Aomine freezes but then Kagami does the same. They say nothing to each other and Aomine feels awkward and out of place all of a sudden, even though the apartment is more his home than the one he still shares with his parents. Finally when Aomine can't take the silence anymore, he moves further into the apartment and rubs at the back of his neck.

"What're you cooking? Smells good," he admits coolly even though he already knows the answer.

"Teriyaki burgers," Kagami replies with a shrug and a smirk and before Aomine can register what's going on, Kagami is in front of him and wrapping his arms around Aomine in an awkward smothering hug. It catches him off guard and he just stands there, eyes wide, trying to gauge Kagami's motive. He isn't sure if he should bring his hands up and reciprocate but then Kagami's arms tighten around him and he isn't able to move his own even if he wanted to. But then it's all over and Kagami's pulling back, patting his back like they've just had a very sportsman-like ball game and he walks back towards the kitchen without a word.

Aomine remains still, confusion settling heavy on his mind because he isn't quite sure what's going on. While the gesture can come across as anything, after all they are dating, to Aomine it felt not quite right, a little too rigid and impersonal. Like friends.

He follows Kagami into the kitchen anyways, suspicion lingering but says nothing. He's nervous, still isn't sure why Kagami called him over but tries hard not to think of scenarios and instead tries to accept it as it is. They're just having dinner, like any couple would do. Kagami's gone and cooked him his favourite meal and if Aomine's being nice, Kagami is also his favourite chef. Except he can't get rid of the chill that rides up his spine while he awaits for the other shoe to drop, because the elephant in the room is beginning to feel really oppressive.

They haven't talked much this past week; Aomine has been feeling a little under appreciated and Kagami really hasn't taken the time to notice. It's fair, Aomine thinks, to want more from this two year relationship. It's fair to want Kagami to kiss him in public or for them to go out more and do things that normal couples do. And he's been wondering if maybe things have gotten stale between them, that their relationship has just hit a peak and there's nothing he can do about it. Aomine's new at all this anyway, he doesn't know what a relationship is supposed to be like - especially one that's been as long as theirs - so he's just been playing it all by instinct up to this point.

"Wanna help me finish up?" Kagami asks, flipping the burgers on the grill he has plugged in on the stove.

"I'll probably just mess it up," Aomine mumbles. He could cook if he wanted to, he just doesn't have the passion nor the attention to do so.

Kagami turns and smirks. "You can handle setting the table then, can't you, Ahomine?"

"Well what if I said that'd be too troublesome?"

"Then I guess you don't eat," Kagami replies, playful smile splaying his lips.

_This feels normal,_ Aomine thinks, _and normal is good_. He can't think of a retort so he ends up reaching into the cupboards to grab plates and glasses and setting them on the counter. That's when it happens again. Kagami turns and hugs him, the same kind of too-tight and too-awkward to be personal hug Kagami gave him at the door. Underneath the aromatics of dinner, he can smell the Old Spice in Kagami's hair and skin and the familiarity is almost enough to make Aomine relax but he can't.

Something just isn't right.

This time, he squirms under Kagami's grip which makes him let go and he clears his throat before going back to check on the burgers. It's beginning to piss Aomine off because he can't figure it out. Kagami doesn't do this, whatever it's called, usually. They also don't usually pretend there isn't a problem when there is one either, and them barely speaking for the last week is pretty problematic, Aomine thinks.

But, fearing the worst, Aomine doesn't bring it up. There's a sliver of hope that Kagami won't break up with him if they don't talk about what's been going on, although if Aomine considers that long enough, he doesn't want to continue to pretend that nothing is wrong when something actually is.

He takes the plates to the dining room table Kagami had shipped in from America and sets them across from each other but then he pauses. He doesn't know why he does that; they usually sit beside each other, despite both of them being large enough to knock elbows every time they move and barely have the space to breathe but that's what they like. At least, that's what Aomine likes.

While he's contemplating where he should place the dinnerware, he feels Kagami's arms come around him again and this time it's a little different, this time it feels more natural, especially when Kagami rests his chin on Aomine's shoulder. It's almost enough for Aomine to want to lean into; give in and crane his neck to an angle better suited to kiss at the corner of Kagami's mouth. But Aomine can't relax, not with the tension so thick in the atmosphere it's nearly tangible. He ends up stiffening, unintentionally, and Kagami's warmth slips from him just as fast as it got there.

He doesn't turn to see Kagami's expression and when he sets the plates down again, _across from each other_, they clatter loudly on the surface and the sound echoes through the silence filled space of the apartment.

"Aomine?"

The use of his name like this is unfamiliar on off Kagami's tongue. He's used to the endearing expletives they call one another, he's used to the usual 'Aho-mine' and the occasional 'Dai', but to hear his name being called questionably strikes a painful chord that resonates fear throughout Aomine. It's unfamiliar and impersonal and it isn't like Kagami at all. He can't help the shadow of dreadful premonition that shrouds him, the impending heartbreak twisting icy knots in his gut. It makes him stiffen, makes his blood run cold because this must be it and he isn't ready for it. He turns to face Kagami and he looks sheepishly nervous and the sag of his shoulders has anxiety churning in Aomine's gut so raw he feels like he's going to throw up.

"Spit it out," he says bleakly but he means to have more fire behind the tone. He's not ready but it has to be now, he can't take feeling like this anymore.

"What?" Kagami is staring at him questionably, as if he hasn't got a clue to what's going on but Aomine knows damn well he does and it'd be better for both of them if Kagami just got everything over with so Aomine can leave and begin to forget the last two years ever happened.

"You're acting weird," Aomine snaps and he can see Kagami's cheeks flush and his brows draw down into a scowl.

"_You're_ acting weird," he accuses, fists balled at his sides.

Aomine grips the back of the dining room chair. His fingers dig into the leather so hard that they ache. "I wouldn't be acting weird if you weren't acting weird!"

"Well I wouldn't be weird if you weren't being weirder!" Kagami shouts back, and Aomine realises just how ridiculous they sound. He isn't goinjg to get anywhere, because Kagami either can't cough up the right words to say it or he's going to make Aomine break up with him instead. _Well. If that's the way he wants it. _

"Whatever, I'm leaving!" Aomine growls, adrenaline high in his blood. He wants to punch Kagami for being stupid, for inviting him here to cook for him and act like everything's okay but he just continues to squeeze the back of the chair and hope that some of the anger bleeds from him before he really does end up hitting Kagami.

"Fine, go ahead and leave, you arrogant asshole!"

Aomine doesn't know what to do first. He's contemplating strangling the redhead but can't find it in him when he's glaring and all he can see are Kagami's garnet eyes clouded with confusion but his mouth is twisted into a snarl. Rather than dwell, Aomine lets the chair go so that he can storm out of the apartment with some shred of dignity. Kagami can just break up with him over a text message, through a friend - he doesn't care. Or he can consider this pretty much as an end, and he's pretty sure he's pretty okay with that conclusion too.

"I will!" he scoffs and hurries past Kagami, attempting to keep his distance so he isn't tempted to push him or hit him but then Kagami's grabbing his arm in a grip so tight that it hurts. He's being yanked backwards and his heel kicks off the floor, making him spin and lose his balance but it's fine because Kagami's arms catch him as he turns.

"Stop hugging me if you're breaking up with me, you fucking jerk," Aomine chastises, trying to work his way out of Kagami's hold.

"No," Kagami grinds out through clenched teeth. "I'm going to fucking hug you whether you like it or not so deal with it, bastard."

Aomine makes some strangled noise, some kind of hybrid sound between a growl and a whine because even though his blood is hot with fight ready adrenaline and his heart is rapidly hammering against his chest, Kagami's arms feel right this time. They're wrapped tight around his frame and Kagami's face is pressed into his neck. He can feel the vibration of Kagami's heart, beating as fast as his own in tandem and Aomine can feel the tension bleed through his shoulders, feels himself relax into Kagami's hold with each hot breath that spreads across his skin, even though he doesn't want to. Even though he's still on high alert for those words he's been dreading to hear and ready for flight at the first chance, Kagami's never _hugged_ him before. Not like this. Not naturally. And it makes Aomine all the more nervous about the situation.

"Even if you hate me right now," Kagami says, his lips brushing the side of Aomine's neck. It makes him almost shudder

"I don't hate you," Aomine growls, lifting his arms to reciprocate when Kagami's slide from him and he's being shoved backwards.

"Wait, did you just say you're breaking up with me?" Kagami asks, face scribbled with confusion.

"Huh?! Are you shitting me? You're the one who said it - aren't you breaking up with me? Isn't this what that's all about?" Aomine asks, gesturing wildly around the apartment.

"What? Because I want to cook dinner and touch my idiot boyfriend, that means I want to break up with you?" scoffs Kagami.

"Well what's up with all this hugging suddenly?"

"I thought you liked to be touched!"

"Huh? Of _course_ I do, you idiot! But it feels weird and I don't want you to force yourself to touch me, bastard!" Aomine argues, balling his fist. He can't understand why this is infuriating him, he _had_ been wanting Kagami to show him a little more affection because he was worried things might have gotten boring between them; he _needed_ Kagami to reassure him, just the simplest of touches and hugs are even better but they're meaningless if Kagami doesn't want to touch him in the first place. Because then it just makes him feel like a burden and definitely unwanted. Not like he has self esteem issues - because he doesn't - he just loves Kagami more than he should and everything Kagami does out of character has red flags going off in his head. Kagami is the one person he doesn't want to lose, not after he's brought back so much vitality into Aomine's life and given him something to live for; motivation for just _existing_ and not just for basketball, but for Kagami too.

"I want to touch you," Kagami yells, "all the time!"

It makes Aomine's heart skip a beat and then two. "Then what's stopping you?" he asks, uncurling his fist. He can feel his shoulders sag in relief, the tension pulled heavy at the back of his neck begins to relax and he closes the distance between himself and Kagami again.

Kagami's eyes widen, the ruby red nearly eclipsed by the blown black of his pupils and Aomine sees colour ride high in his cheeks. "What, so you want me to grope you and make out with you in public at every chance we get?"

He's leering, expecting to win the argument when Aomine says no, but that isn't going to happen because that's _precisely_ what Aomine wants. "Yeah," he shrugs with a smirk splaying his lips. "Yeah, I don't give a shit who sees. I ain't ashamed of you, Bakagami."

Kagami snorts as he tips in and drags his teeth across Aomine's bottom lip. Victory tastes sweet on the edge of Kagami's tongue as it sweeps along the seam of his lips.

"Stupid idiot," Aomine gibes, closing his mouth over Kagami's. He feels Kagami's hands rest on his hips and then they're sliding down to cup his ass and press him harder along the contour of Kagami's body.

"Fuck you," Kagami murmurs mirthfully against Aomine's mouth to which Aomine replies, "You can fuck me_ after_ dinner," and when Kagami laughs, Aomine takes the opportunity to lick against the roof of Kagami's mouth. It's like Aomine can taste the cheery brightness of Kagami's laugh against the friction of his tongue. His lips are warm and soft and all the reassurance he needs but when Kagami's hands slide up his spine for an even tighter embrace, Aomine melts into the kiss and any negative thoughts have been dispelled.

They don't make it to the table for dinner, but every bit is worth it when he's fitted between Kagami's legs on the bed and they're eating cold teriyaki burgers watching NBA game highlights. His head is rested against Kagami's shoulder and Kagami's arm is slung over his chest and they bicker about game plays until they fall asleep but before Aomine closes his eyes, he can't imagine anywhere else he'd rather be than filling the void between Kagami's arms.


End file.
